I use Tomie dePaola's books very often with lower elementary
grades. He writes a variety of wonderful stories with wonderful
illustrations that appeal to younger children. His stories are great
starters for many art projects.

While looking for another story I stumbled upon The Legend of the
Bluebonnet. The back cover had a lovely illustration of the bluebonnet
flower I thought would translate easily to a kindergarten fiber collage.
I was able to break it down into simple steps that took two sessions of
40-50 minutes each.

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One of the secrets to success with any kindergarten project is
careful preparation. So, first I prepared the fabric by holding 9"
x 12" pieces of burlap and construction paper together, folding
over about a half-inch on the top and stapling them together. This keeps
the glue and paint from going through and keeps the edges from fraying
too much.

The felt is cut into 0.5" x 3" strips and I pour glue
into very small containers with craft sticks for every two children to
share. I have wet wipes or wet paper towels ready for children to wipe
their fingers after painting, and I pre-thread and knot the yarn.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet is a retelling of a Comanche tale that
explains the abundance of the wild bluebonnet flower in the fields of
Texas. A young orphan girl sacrifices her most valuable possession, her
doll, which was the only remaining item from her family, to please the
spirits so the drought will end. When she awakens, the fields where she
scattered the ashes from her doll are covered with bluebonnet flowers.
We discuss the story and look at the picture of the flower. It has a
tall stem in the middle, long, thin leaves at the bottom, blue petals in
groups of three on the sides and seeds at the top that come to a point,
forming a triangular shape.

The first day, we use a running stitch for the stem down the middle
of the burlap. Before we start, I demonstrate how to fringe the bottom
of the burlap fabric and how to make the running stitch while students
are sitting around me. Then, the children return to their seats and I
give each child their fabric. As demonstrated, they then pull about
three threads from the bottom edge for a nice fringe.

Next, I walk around the classroom passing out needles pre-threaded
with 24 inches of green yarn (also knotted at the end). For each child,
I demonstrate how to push the needle through the back at the top of the
fabric and pull it through to the knot. This ensures the stem will be in
the middle and will go high enough.

They are then to count five spaces (threads in the burlap) on the
front and three on the back. This gives them well-spaced stitches that
are not too big or too small. When they get to the bottom, I tell them
to raise their hands and I will tie a knot, cut the yarn and collect the
needles. That's all for the first day.

The second day, we review the story and I demonstrate the next
steps. Any students who need to finish their stitching will do that
first. When students get to their seats, they will use a green marker to
draw small stems that radiate from the center stem. They should draw
about three on each side.

Next, they place four green felt strips at the bottom, pointing out
and up from the center stem. I demonstrate how to use the tacky glue
with the craft stick to spread the glue, like when they butter their
toast. They can glue one at a time and share the glue with their
neighbor. They may choose three sequins from a container on their table
to glue at the top of the stem.

When they are done, I ask them to put their heads down so I can see
who is ready for printing. I demonstrate how to use my thumb to print
the petals in groups of three at the end of each small stem. I show them
how to press harder and lighter to make larger petals at the bottom and
smaller petals at the top, creating a triangular shape. When they are
done printing, they raise their hands so I can bring them a wet wipe or
damp towel to wipe their thumbs and collect their pictures to bring to
the drying rack.

When the project is dry I send it home, accompanied by information
about the story for parents to read.

This is a lesson in which every child is successful with
high-quality work. By carefully orchestrating every step and preparing
the materials in advance, every class was an enjoyable experience for
both the children and teacher.

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Joan Sterling is an art teacher at Hickory Woods Elementary School in the Walled Lake (Mich.) Consolidated Schools, and is coauthor of
"Art by the Book" published by Pieces of Learning
(piecesoflearning.com).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Primary students will ...

* use stitching and applique techniques to create a fiber collage.

* use printing techniques to create a work of art.

RESOURCES

* The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie dePaola. Putnam Juvenile,
1996.